Connect and Reflect: Module 6 (Submission 5)

1 Connect and Reflect: Module 6 (Submission 5) Mount Royal University COMM 4501-003: Roles and Practices in Contemporary Communications Amanda Williams November 18th, 2024 2 Connect and Reflect: Module 6 (Submission 5) 1. How can communication professionals apply the principles of relationships, respect, responsibility, and reciprocity to ensure ethical and respectful engagement with Indigenous Communities? Communication professionals can apply the principles of relationships, respect, responsibility, and reciprocity to ensure ethical and respectful engagement with Indigenous communities in a variety of different ways. In terms of relationships I think when it comes to communication professionals it's not just about creating the best content, it's about putting in the effort to understand their communities by listening and learning. As Hannah Askew from Sierra Club B.C. said, getting into a relationship means that you are allowing yourself to be changed by the experiences you have. The path forward isn’t always clear but by being open to learning you can create a more meaningful and genuine connection (Communications Learning Circle of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership, 2023). I think by keeping an open mind and really spending time listening to what they have to say instead of just talking would show that their opinions and ideas matter. Instead of doing things alone, professionals should work with indigenous leaders or community members to make decisions. I think in every relationship it is important to be flexible because sometimes things don't go as planned and so you should be ready to adjust your approach and work with the community in a way that feels right to them. I think respect ties into all of the principles in a way. Communication professionals should be treating the communities and the members that are a part of it with kindness and making sure that they are not only respecting but also understanding their traditions, cultures, values and beliefs. They have unique and also valuable knowledge about their history, land and 3 culture. Professionals should make sure that they are carefully listening and avoiding changing or misrepresenting their words or story. Also they should make sure that they are understanding and following the Indigenous communities ways of doing things when working together. They should be able to respect their thoughts and ideas again without changing their words that includes lessening the value of their words or even exaggerating them. Every communication professional working with Indigenous communities has the responsibility to make sure they understand how their work will impact their communities. Again this ties with what I talked about in the respect section. They have a responsibility to be open about what their goals are and how the community’s knowledge and input will be used. They have a responsibility to respect their decisions about their land and culture and make sure that their work is always aligning with what the community’s needs and wants. Lastly, I think reciprocity can be seen as almost a friendship and ties back to the principle of relationships. When you share something with a friend, you hope that they share back or show kindness in return. When professionals are working with indigenous communities they should also think of it this way. They should remember that it's not just about taking information or knowledge, it's also about giving back. This can be through “Offering compensation or honoraria… [or] Sharing gifts” (Communications Learning Circle of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership, 2023, p.17). Like mentioned in the guidelines professionals should also make sure that when they are giving back, to include input from the Indigenous communities of what they think is appropriate and fair in terms of either gifts of compensation. 2. Which guidelines from the Balancing the Narrative: Communications Guidelines for Indigenous-led Conservation could be beneficial for your CSL project, even if it does not involve working with an Indigenous community? 4 I think the principle of relationship is really important and could be beneficial for my CSL project. Even though we are not working with an Indigenous community, I think a project is only successful if there is a strong and respectful relationship between the client and the organization. I have to make sure I am building that relationship with the organization so we can both be open and honest with each other about what I am planning to do with the project and what they are expecting. Additionally it's important that from both parties there is respect but also we are both open to learning and listening to the ideas both of us have. As the Balancing the Narrative guidelines state, “Organizations should strive to be open to sharing their learning, challenges, and missteps in communications strategies” (Communications Learning Circle of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership, 2023, p.12). This is something I can apply to my project by being open about any challenges I may face and also open to feedback, which will help everyone feel more comfortable and understood, making sure that we are on the same page in terms of the direction of the project. 5 References Communications Learning Circle of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership. (2023). Balancing the narrative: Communications guidelines for Indigenous-led conservation. https://ipcaknowledgebasket.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Balancingthe-Narrative-December-2023-DIGITAL.pdf